Kool & The Gang - Spin Their Top Hits (1978) US 1st Pressing - LP/FLAC In 24bit/96kHz

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Kool & The Gang - Spin Their Top Hits (1978) US 1st Pressing - LP/FLAC In 24bit/96kHz

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Kool & The Gang - Spin Their Top Hits (1978) US 1st Pressing - LP/FLAC In 24bit/96kHz

Close

×

Kool & The Gang - Spin Their Top Hits (1978) US 1st Pressing - LP/FLAC In 24bit/96kHz

Close

×

Kool & The Gang - Spin Their Top Hits (1978) US 1st Pressing - LP/FLAC In 24bit/96kHz

Close

Lest anyone is expecting extravaganzas like "Celebration" or other crossover hits from the early '80s, Kool & the Gang's Spin Their Top Hits strictly covers the band's funk-filled '70s chart successes. Although singer James "J.T." Taylor's cool-breeze approach may have given the band their biggest chart toppers, Kool & the Gang's longevity rests with the jazz-informed grooves heard here. Coming off as part early Earth, Wind & Fire and a prelude to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," "Open Sesame" starts things off with some fantasy funk for the dancefloor, sounding every bit the high-end disco showstopper that made it a highlight of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Equally anthemic highlights like "Hollywood Swinging" and "Jungle Boogie" bring back radio memories, while in-the-pocket instrumentals such as "Kool & the Gang" and "Funky Stuff" make one pine for more of the band's many sophisticated non-vocal cuts. The group tops things off with a mix of fetching synth solos, after-hours funk ambience, and slicked-up West Indian rhythms, but in the meantime still manage to slip in a few limp efforts like "Spirit of the Boogie" and "Love and Understanding." Thankfully, even these questionable cuts have their own virtues on this essential disc for fans and newcomers alike.

allmusic.com

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